The city of Albuquerque is unveiling statues dedicated to Breaking Bad characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.
According to a press release, the statues were originally commissioned from sculptor Trevor Grove in 2019 by series creator Vince Gilligan, who is donating the statues to the city alongside Sony Pictures Television.
"Over the course of fifteen years, two TV shows and one movie, Albuquerque has been wonderful to us. I wanted to return the favor and give something back," Gilligan said. "These larger-than-life bronzes of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman exist thanks to the generosity of Sony Pictures Television and the artistry of sculptor Trevor Grove, and I love them. It makes me happy to picture them gracing The Duke City for decades to come, attracting busloads of tourists."
More than a decade after the release of the original show, Breaking Bad continues to drive tourism to Albuquerque, not the least because of the show's gorgeous cinematography portraying its stark desert vistas.
The statues will be displayed inside of the Albuquerque Convention Center after being revealed on July 29. The unveiling ceremony is set to include Mayor Keller, Gilligan, executive producer and Better Call Saul co-creator Peter Gould, Emmy Award-winning actors Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, and special guests.
"We also appreciate that the statues will be indoors, and therefore protected from pigeons depositing their critiques on our heads," Cranston and Paul joked.